The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for automated assignment of tasks to service providers, automated implementation of rules governing the performance of tasks, monitoring of rules compliance by providers and evaluation of the providers overall ability to efficiently accomplish such tasks. It also includes an automatically updated database which matches willing and complying task service providers to interested task assignors.
The system of embodiments of the present invention serves to coordinate and communicate between service consumers, service providers and insurers, warrantors, liability holders or other interested parties. When a task is entered into the system, the task is identified by type and a database of service providers is accessed so that a capable service provider, willing to comply with established rules of task performance, may be assigned that task. When a qualified service provider is found, the task is automatically assigned to that service provider. Tasks may be reassigned when service providers do not comply with established system rules. Task assignment may be performed electronically through telephone, fax, cell phone, pager, e-mail, radio or by many other communication means.
Task progress and service provider quality are monitored and reported as the task is completed. Reports, including graphical reports, may be generated to show multi-tiered trending analyses and other analyses at any level, from industry-wide down to specific line items associated with a task.
Insurance providers, warrantors, maintenance managers, construction contractors, factory managers and many other service consumers who must repetitively assign tasks to other parties can benefit from a system which automatically assigns and monitors tasks. As a non-limiting example, insurance providers must process claims for damages to insured property. When a claim is made, the insurance provider often desires to contact a professional to make an estimate of the cost to repair the damage. Once the estimate is received, the insurance provider will often make adjustments, negotiate with service or product providers or otherwise evaluate the estimate. When the estimate is acceptable, and the rules of task completion are established, a service provider is authorized to complete the work.
Repair work on automobiles, residences, commercial buildings and other structures can often be an extensive and lengthy process. Work must often be monitored over a period of time to ensure that proper repairs are being made and that funds are being spent properly. Payments may be made in draws contingent upon completion of specific tasks. Events during the repair process must be monitored and tracked continuously to ensure a smooth and efficient process.
Service consumers who employ independent contractors and other service providers can benefit from a thorough knowledge of the provider""s history, reputation and past work experience. After several contacts, a service consumer begins to get a feel for the quality of work and service that a contractor provides. However, some managers deal with far too many service providers to keep track of each one of them. A system that monitors and evaluates service providers by keeping track of their performance can be invaluable.
Some embodiments of the present invention comprise a task input system which collects task information for processing. An exemplary embodiment in the insurance industry may comprise a claims collection system where insured parties may file claims on insured property. A preferred embodiment uses an Internet-based claim filing system wherein insured parties may access and fill out web-based forms to input claims information. Information input to the forms is automatically compiled and analyzed so that the claims may be processed. In addition to a web-based forms approach, selected third-party software users may input claims information into their third-party software and send formatted data streams directly to a user""s receiving server. Task or claim information may be text based, graphical, audible or in other formats.
Task or claim information may be augmented by internal files or databases of embodiments of the present invention which may contain task requestor data. In the case of an insurance claim, the internal data may comprise insurance policy limits, policy expiration dates, prior claims made, and other data.
When task information is sufficiently complete, the task may be automatically assigned to a service provider whose information is located in a database which is maintained and managed through the systems and methods of the present invention. The service provider database, in an exemplary embodiment, contains service provider names, addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses and other contact information as well as information regarding the provider""s experience, types of tasks completed, quality ratings, bonding or insurance limits, costs of tasks completed and other information. A service provider in this exemplary embodiment may be a building contractor who is hired to repair fire damage on an insured residence.
Once an embodiment of the present invention has determined that task information is complete, a service provider is selected. This selection may be based on the type of claim made including the type of work involved in satisfying the claim, the estimated claim cost, the quality rating of the service provider, the location of the service provider and many other factors. When a service provider is selected, that provider will be notified automatically through the methods and apparatus of the present invention. This notification may occur via telephone, cell phone, e-mail or other communications media.
A notified service provider may then be required to respond to the notification within a prescribed time period. If no response is received in compliance with the system""s rules of escalation, the system will either automatically notify the service provider""s quality control agent such as a franchise organization if (where applicable), or the system may simply select another service provider who will then be given a period to respond. A task or assignment will automatically be transferred to another service provider either until a compliant response is received or until all automated options have been exhausted. Upon exhaustion of all options for automated assignment, the system automatically alerts the entity owning the assignment of the actions taken, the entities involved and rules broken, and then awaits additional escalation instruction. These rules of escalation may be based upon response times and methods or other parameters and may be established or changed by service provider management, the system user, the task requester or others. Alerts may be sent to any interested parties through any available communications media.
When a provider has been selected and assigned a task and a proper response has been logged, the provider may then respond by submitting an estimate of the cost of completing the task. This estimate may be based on a site visit by the service provider or may be based on information provided to the service provider through the system of embodiments of the present invention. Graphical information such as digitized plans and photographs and other descriptive information may be provided to the service provider through the systems and methods of embodiments of the present invention. This information may be augmented by a site visit by the service provider.
A service provider may calculate an estimate through proprietary methods. However, the system and method of embodiments of the present invention also provide an electronic method of estimation in an on-line format so that properly formatted estimates may be forwarded to the system user or other designated parties. This estimate may then be evaluated relative to the costs of similar tasks performed in the past, or it may be evaluated relative to an automated estimating system. This evaluation process may be automated or, alternatively, may be performed manually by an expert evaluator. If the estimate conforms with the parameters of the evaluation process, whether automated or manual, the provider who supplied the estimate may be authorized to perform the task. Password protection may be used to keep sensitive information confidential.
Authorization will preferably be performed automatically and electronically by one or more of several means. Preferable authorization means include, but are not limited to, conventional telephone, cell phone, e-mail, pager and radio.
Selected embodiments of the present invention will track the provider""s progress and report to the task requestor/consumer, user, financer or other parties as the task is completed. This event tracking may be used to authorize partial payments to the service provider as events comprised within a task are completed. Event tracking may also be used to evaluate a service provider""s performance.
Event tracking and other monitoring aspects of embodiments of the present invention may be used to generate a quality rating for service providers listed in system databases. Quality ratings may also be based on other input from service consumers, claimants and other parties. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a customer survey is implemented through web-based forms, direct consumer contact or other means. A consumer satisfaction factor is calculated based on this data. This consumer satisfaction data is augmented with service provider performance data obtained through the system of embodiments of the present invention. Performance data may be based on provider response data such as, but not limited to, time of response, type of response, estimate quality, estimate amounts relative to automated estimates, time to complete task and other performance factors.
Embodiments of the present invention may also have the ability to perform analyses on the information gathered by the system and other information otherwise input into the system. These analyses may be performed on task data, service provider data, task requestor data or other system information. Reports may be generated to help a user analyze and predict trends in their industry. These trending analyses may be multi-tiered allowing the user to generate reports, including graphical reports, based on industry-wide data, single task specific data or anything in between. For example, and not by way of limitation, an insurance company may generate a xe2x80x9ctype of lossxe2x80x9d report for the entire company which lists occurrences for each loss type in graphical form. This report may be further broken down by region, state, city or even down to specific claims as needed by the user. Other reports may be generated at any level to help a user understand key aspects of their business and these reports may be customized for a specific business or business type.
Accordingly, it is an object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide a system and apparatus for automated assignment of tasks.
It is also an object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide a system and apparatus for monitoring and reporting task progress.
Another object of some embodiments of the present invention is to provide a system and apparatus for quality control.
A further object of some embodiments of the present invention is to provide a system and apparatus for alerting a user regarding the response of a service provider.
Another object of some embodiments of the present invention is to provide a system and apparatus for trending analysis.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following, description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.